Best Time to Fly MSP to SEA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Minneapolis-St Paul International → Seattle/Tacoma International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 81.4% of Minneapolis (MSP) to Seattle (SEA) flights arrived on time (2,685 scheduled flights). That is 3.7 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Delta Air Lines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 81.4%, while Alaska Airlines trailed at 81.2%.
April has been the best month (92% on time) and Thursday the weakest day of the week (81%).
1.0% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
MSP to SEA on-time performance by airline
Last 12 months. Airlines with fewer than 30 completed flights are marked “limited data”.
| Airline | On time | Avg delay when late | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 81.4% | 59 min | 0.9% | 1,743 |
| Alaska Airlines | 81.2% | 64 min | 1.2% | 942 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly MSP to SEA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 5,362 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 95.0% | 0.7% | 419 |
| 7am–8am | 86.8% | 0.6% | 525 |
| 8am–9am | 91.5% | 0.2% | 556 |
| 9am–10am | 86.7% | 0.6% | 181 |
| 10am–11am | 89.0% | 2.1% | 186 |
| 11am–12pm | 91.1% | 0.0% | 517 |
| 12pm–1pm | Limited data | 9 | |
| 1pm–2pm | 81.4% | 0.0% | 70 |
| 2pm–3pm | 79.1% | 0.6% | 968 |
| 3pm–4pm | 77.5% | 0.9% | 320 |
| 4pm–5pm | 75.9% | 0.7% | 146 |
| 5pm–6pm | 86.6% | 1.6% | 182 |
| 6pm–7pm | 78.9% | 0.6% | 693 |
| 7pm–8pm | 61.4% | 0.6% | 173 |
| 8pm–9pm | Limited data | 22 | |
| 9pm–10pm | 79.0% | 1.5% | 270 |
| 10pm–11pm | 80.8% | 0.0% | 125 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on MSP to SEA
On-time arrivals during holiday periods compared with all other days, last 24 months.
| Period | On time | vs other days | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week (Tue before to Mon after) | 82.2% | -2.6 pts | 0.0% | 90 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 73.8% | -11.0 pts | 0.0% | 210 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 81.8% | -3.0 pts | 0.4% | 1,162 |
| All other days | 84.8% | — | 0.8% | 3,900 |
Monthly on-time trend
On-time arrival % each month, with the 12-month US average for reference.
What causes delays on this route
Share of reported delay minutes, last 12 months (BTS cause categories).